Kobo Start Menu

[WS64]

Now, after a few reboots, and finally fixing up the nickel images (so library works again), but actually not changing really anything I reached this state:
- Koreader crashes after a while whenever I start it through Start Menu, no matter if I start it directly or with the Koreader additions. Too bad, cuz they actually work great with screensaver and everything
- Koreader works when I start it through Nickel. No screensaver, and no exit from Koreader possible (except reboot).

More or less the same as with the old version of Start Menu.
I really have no idea why it did behave different earlier with the new start menu....

I really hope some more folks will show up with the crashes so we can find out what causes it!
But I still find it very strange that it works through Nickel and not through Start Menu.
(Btw, through Nickel means the FMON way)

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by pazos

@Ken Maltby: I'm aware that reader.lua can be called with some arguments, but when we call koreader (from shell, from start menu or from fmon) we normally don't call the reader.lua itself, but the koreader.sh script, which in kindles does:

./reader.lua $@ 2>crash.log

this means that if you call koreader.sh without arguments in a kindle koreader boot with last opened document ($@ == "")

in kobos koreader.sh does:

./reader.lua /mnt/onboard/ 2>crash.log, ignoring all arguments passed away.

If we wish to keep both files the same as possible calling koreader.sh on kobos without arguments will open koreader with last opened document, and for have the standard behaviour right now we need to call:

koreader.sh /mnt/onboard


I can't explain myself in english very well

Your Kindel version of the file has "./reader.lua $@", where the $@ brings the arguments that were given when the script started, over as arguments to reader.lua. The same could be done with the koreader_kobo.sh, but as it is a simple script it is just as easy to just apply the arguments directly to reader.lua , without passing the arguments during the call to koreader_kobo.

If you really want them to work the same all you need to do is to have the koreader.sh on kobos use the same "./reader.lua $@" that was used for the Kindels, and provide the argument(s) you want the reader.lua to run with, by adding them to the "koreader.sh" call.

But.. with the functional "Start in last opened file" option, why would you be changing the arguments to reader.lua, anymore? Either at the command line for "koreader.sh" or inside it at reader.lua. Once you have the reader pointed to where you want File Manager to open, you would want to keep it opening there. Again, another advantage provided by having the operative koreader launching file in the kbmenu folder not in the more frequently changing koreader folder.

Luck;
Ken

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

I really hope some more folks will show up with the crashes so we can find out what causes it!

Yes and no! I hope there are not that many devices crashing.

Originally Posted by WS64

But I still find it very strange that it works through Nickel and not through Start Menu.
(Btw, through Nickel means the FMON way)

When you start Koreader via fmon from nickel, how do you start nickel? From the start menu? Or do you start nickel directly after boot (by the runsettings)?

[hawhill]

As an additional point of information: I run start menu and Koreader (from start menu) just fine on my Kobo Mini, latest firmware (3.4.1). Well, exception: Standby from Koreader does not work. It doesn't crash when left alone, though. Both with and without USB connection.

[WS64]

Originally Posted by tshering

Yes and no! I hope there are not that many devices crashing.


When you start Koreader via fmon from nickel, how do you start nickel? From the start menu? Or do you start nickel directly after boot (by the runsettings)?

Yes, I start nickel from start menu.
I have my Kobo set up that it always boots into start menu.
Not sure what it means "by the runsettings" though, I boot into start menu, select "Start Nickel" and it works fine.

Btw, I still have one other crash left, when I leave my Kobo for an even longer period (so far I am sure at 30 minutes) it will also crash.
So far I thought that might be related to the nickel screensaver and/or the sleep cover, but I tested right now to turn them both off and it still happened.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by hawhill

As an additional point of information: I run start menu and Koreader (from start menu) just fine on my Kobo Mini, latest firmware (3.4.1).

Thank you for this information.

Originally Posted by hawhill

Well, exception: Standby from Koreader does not work. It doesn't crash when left alone, though. Both with and without USB connection.

I just tried the koreader standby for the fist time. I think it does on my Touch what is the expected behaviour. A little info screen say "Standby" and the device gets unresponsive to touches. After shortly sliding the power slider, the info screen disappears and the device responds to touch again. I am running the v2014.04-198-gebe4ea2 build.

Originally Posted by WS64

I have my Kobo set up that it always boots into start menu.
Not sure what it means "by the runsettings" though, I boot into start menu, select "Start Nickel" and it works fine.

I meant to ask about your set up (boot always, never, alternating into the start menu). Because, if you boot into the start menu and run nickel by selecting the menu entry "start nickel", the old/original koreader.png should not have any effect if you open it (apart from showing on the screen). Therefore, I wonder how you call koreader from nickel.
If however you set your Kobo up in a way that it boots into nickel, it is (almost) as if the kobo start menu is not installed at all. The koreader.png has then again the same function as it had before you installed the start menu.

[WS64]

Originally Posted by tshering

I just tried the koreader standby for the fist time. I think it does on my Touch what is the expected behaviour. A little info screen say "Standby" and the device gets unresponsive to touches. After shortly sliding the power slider, the info screen disappears and the device responds to touch again.

As you describe it it works for me too (when started through Start Menu). Even with sleep cover.
The behaviour that Hawhill described is what I get when I start Koreader through Nickel.

I tried to read with Koreader for a while this morning.
It still crashes even through Nickel, although not as soon as through start menu.
With start menu it crashes at the first 1-2 minute break. With Nickel it crashes "after a while". I don't think I could read at any point more than 10 minuts in a row. That was definitely different yesterday (with the old start menu and the Koreader nighty from the day before too, so both did change).
I think I open a ticket at github for koreader too since the crashes also happen when start menu is not involved.


UPDATE:
Well...

Before I started to open a ticket I wanted to give again the latest nighty Koreader build a try (June 11).
And guess what... With this one everything works. No crashes so far (not even started through start menu).
Started from nickel I can even go back to nickel, although screensaver does not work that way.
Right now it is perfect, I can finally read again. And again, no idea why!

[JimMcLaren]

I just installed the new start menu and really didn't gain anything on my Aura HD.

1. The new coolreader submenu is there with the two icons to run coolreader. Selecting either of them just returns to the home menu.
2. Coolreader starts fine from vlasovsoftlauncher, same as it always did.
3. I had made the font much larger. Now I have to go back and find that setting. [Edit: I found it.]
4. Under koreader additions
   • Start Nickel launches fine and it exits to kobo menu
   • Start koreader launches. It exits to Nickel like you would expect. Nickel exits to KB menu again.

Like you said in your update post

USE THIS PACKAGE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

[tshering]

Originally Posted by JimMcLaren

I just installed the new start menu and really didn't gain anything on my Aura HD.

1. The new coolreader submenu is there with the two icons to run coolreader. Selecting either of them just returns to the home menu.

Thank you for telling. I previoulsy tested only with pbchess-1.2.6.37_kobo, and with this version it worked. I now see that it does not anylonger work with pbchess-1.2.6.39_kobo.
You can remove the coolreader menu item by editing .kobo/kbmenu/usersettings.txt with an unix-style editor. Replace

insertCRportrait=true
insertCRlandscape=true

by

insertCRportrait=false
insertCRlandscape=false

Or wait until I made the necessary changes to make it work.

EDIT: replace cr3.sh and cr3_180,sh of .kobo/kbmenu/onstart with the two files provided in ksmcoolreader39.zip.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by JimMcLaren

I just installed the new start menu and really didn't gain anything on my Aura HD.

1. Under koreader additions
   • Start Nickel launches fine and it exits to kobo menu
   • Start koreader launches. It exits to Nickel like you would expect. Nickel exits to KB menu again.

Switch from nickel to koreader by opening switchtokoreader.png. However, If nickel was started by "start nickel" (from the home menu) switchtokoreader.png will take you back to the menu.

[WS64]

Hopefully my last comments to my crashes...

First of all, the change to the latest koreader build did NOT help. It lasted a day, but after a complete reboot the crashes were back.

After that I opened the device, removed the internal SD card (for the record, I had a Hama 16GB build in shortly after I got the Mini) and replaced it with an 8GB SanDisk.
I rebooted a few times, and tested whatever I found useful to be tested, and I did not have a single crash.
So the culprit is pretty sure the SD card.

I still find it strange that it affects start menu and koreader but not nickel, but way more important is that my Mini finally works as it should!

Thanks to tshering and everyone else who helped!

[WS64]

Is there any script/program that I can use to set up date/time/timezone and that can be incorporated into Start Menu?
To set these is the only reason for me to go back to Nickel from time to time...

[tshering]

Originally Posted by WS64

Is there any script/program that I can use to set up date/time/timezone and that can be incorporated into Start Menu?
To set these is the only reason for me to go back to Nickel from time to time...

Should be possible. I will have a look at setting the timezone tonight or tomorrow. Since setting date and time needs more work since there are several values to be set by the user, I will try to do it maybe some days later.

[tshering]

Installation:

• copy KoboRoot.tgz from the archive to the .kobo folder of your device
• eject the device
• select "handle update" > "install update"

Alternatively, copy the content contained in KoboRoot.tar to the appropriate locations on the device.


Usage:
Select "scripts" > "date time" > "select time zone by region" to change the time zone.

If you change frequently between a limited number of time zones, edit the script select_time_zone_by_custom_list.sh according to your needs, and select
"scripts" > "date time" > "select time zone by custom list"
(If you edit a script, reboot the device to make sure the script file is read from the sd rather than from the cache.)

[WS64]

Thanks! Works great!